Pilot Dies After Plane Crash In Bolingbrook

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (CBS) — The man and woman killed in a plane crash in southwest suburban Bolingbrook have been identified as a Kentucky surgeon and his wife.

WKYT-TV in Lexington, Ky., reports Georgetown Community Hospital confirmed the pilot was surgeon Narayan Venguswamy. The hospital said Venguswamy was an extraordinary surgeon who served at the hospital for 27 years.

Narayan Venguswamy, a surgeon from Kentucky, died about 12 hours after crashing his single-engine plane while trying to land at an airport in Bolingbrook, Ill. (Photo supplied by WKYT-TV)

“The members of the Georgetown Community Hospital family are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Dr. Narayan Vengu and his wife, Jay,” the hospital said in a written statement. “Dr. Vengu was well-respected and beloved, particularly by hi staff, his patients, and his colleagues. Our heartfelt thoughts, prayers, and support are with the Vengu family during this very difficult time.”

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office said Venguswamy was pronounced dead at 5:45 a.m. Thursday at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he had been treated for severe burns from the crash.

His wife, Jay, was the only other person on board. She was pronounced dead at the scene Wednesday evening.

Venguswamy was piloting a single-engine airplane, when it crashed around 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, while going in for a landing at Clow Airport. Police said the plane clipped a tree, and a light pole, and then crashed into at least two vehicles parked at a Chase Bank at 262 S. Weber Rd.

Several cars were on fire before being extinguished by fire crews on the scene. The small plane was completely destroyed.

Cars on fire in a Chase Bank parking lot after a small plane crash. (Credit: Sen Beatz)

Witnesses said the pilot was covered in flames when he exited the plane crash.

“He was actually walking on fire and he kind of fell down to the ground,” said witness Mike Grohar.

That’s when witnesses say Good Samaritans pulled the pilot away from the plane and threw blankets over him to smother the flames.

“He just kept asking to get his wife out of the plane,” said Grohar.

There were no reports of injuries to people on the ground.

George Steimer, owner of Wine Styles, across the street from the airport, said he’s used to the sound of planes, but this one was different.

“It turned out it was an airplane shearing off a pole just to the left of the bank and all I saw was a wing and a belly, I couldn’t tell what size it was, and then it just crashed. Then it burst into flames. I looked out and there was a man fully-engulfed in flame,” said Steimer.

Jay Venguswamy

A man ran into his store and borrowed his fire extinguisher to try and stop the man from burning

Steimer said it’s not likely he’ll get that visual out of his head for a long time.

The Cirrus SR-22 single-engine plane is registered to GDK International LLC in Georgetown Kentucky. The plane took off from Scott County Marshall Field in Georgetown, Kentucky around 3:08 p.m. Chicago time.